The contract that is set to end in 2019 included the state’s best netball talent returning back to the Australian Netball League in a combined venture with Collingwood under the Tasmanian Magpies moniker.

Phillips has said after the side’s landmark win on Saturday over defending ANL champions Victoria Fury – just the Fury’s second loss since 2012 – the partnership since late last year already had exceeded expectations one week into the season. 

Netball Tasmania’s initial plans for inclusion to an expanded Super Netball league could now be scuppered. 

The move could be contrary to Netball Australia’s plans when acting chief executive Marne Fechner lauded the state body for a “fantastic job for advocating and pushing netball’s growth”.

“That idea is so exciting for Tasmania to have a (Super Netball) team here,” she said.

“Our vision is this league takes us to really exciting places and that we do grow, so there are opportunities for ACT, Northern Territory and, of course, Tassie.”

But Phillips believed to secure the future of the game, Netball Tasmania would be best to foster further talks with the Super Netball club.

The state has gained not only the availability Collingwood training partners for its ANL team, but a wealth of experience coaching resources, high-performance training methods and better facilities in Melbourne. 

“I actually think we’ll have more benefits through staying at Collingwood,” she said.

“Obviously it’s early days, but one of my roles is to look at the strategic development for the next five years at least and I can see us having far more benefit in remaining in partnership with Collingwood than trying to go alone into Super Netball.

“We’re a very small state and to compete on an equal basis with teams from Victoria, Queensland, even WA is very hard. So I can see us extending it past three years.”